The three arrived at their destination late that afternoon.
The new town district’s streets were packed, due in part to the fact that they were much narrower the old town district’s roads.
Horse-drawn carts pulled products brought in from surrounding towns, or recently unloaded at the port, through the streets. Customers and merchants alike milled about, hoping to sell, buy, or both.
Lahki turned onto a road at the corner of the market, leading away from the crowded thoroughfare. Two large shops with heavy foot traffic stood on either side of their destination. The small building was about two carts wide, and looked as if it had been placed there to fill a gap.
The entrance was firmly locked, but a staircase on one side led to the second-floor living quarters. That door was locked as well.
The first floor, where the shop was located, was made of stone, while the second and third floors were wooden. That design was common in the new town district.
Behl looked up at the shop, then to the buildings flanking it. “It’s pretty small, doncha think?”
Rea nodded in agreement.
“Not at all,” Lahki said. “This is more than big enough. What it lacks in space up front, it makes up for inside. Besides, a store’s size isn’t all that matters. The larger your storefront, the more you’ll pay in taxes and upkeep. This is perfect for my needs.”
“You mean taxes depend on the size of your storefront?” Behl asked.
Rea also looked surprised. “Wow, I had no idea.”
“Not only that,” Lahki said. “Taxes also differ depending on what materials the second and third floors are built from. For example, look at the shop next door, ‘Doktor.’ The second floor is stone, but the third is wood. That makes their tax rate higher than mine.”
“Even the building material affects taxes?” Behl looked at the sky and shook his head, giving up. “I’d be broke before I ever opened for business.”
Lahki laughed, pulling the key out of his shirt pocket and slowly inserting it into the lock. It slid open with a heavy clunk. Lahki and Behl pushed on the doors, which creaked loudly as they swung inward. The interior was dim, illuminated only by what little light spilled through the entrance.
As Lahki said, what the shop lacked in width, it made up for in depth. A cart could easily have ridden straight through with room to spare. In the back were a courtyard, a stable, and even a well. Beyond those was a building with a fireplace—probably some sort of kitchen.
Rea and Behl voiced their amazement as they walked around.
“Whoa. It’s a lot bigger than I thought it’d be!”
“Wahoo! Mind if I take a look around, Lahki?”
No sooner had Lahki smiled and nodded than the two immediately dashed off to explore.
Lahki decided to start an inspection of his own, and began looking around the shop. Just then, a voice called to him from behind.
“So, you’re the new operator, I presume? You’re rather young to be a shop owner!”
A well-dressed man around fifty years old, with white hair and a mustache, stood in the doorway. He was short but muscular, looking rather fit for a man of his age.
Lahki turned to face the older gentleman before bowing low and greeting him. “My name is Lahki. Pleased to meet you! I’ll be running this shop from here on out, so I hope we form a good working relationship.”
“Well, aren’t you a well-mannered young man! My name is Doktor. I’m from the shop next door. I guess we’ll see each other a lot now that we’re neighbors, so we might as well get along, eh?”
Lahki’s eyes went wide. “Are you Doktor’s owner, then? I intended to stop by soon for a proper greeting.”
Lahki had never met Doktor in person, but he’d recently bought some of the shop’s wheat while gathering supplies on Arc’s behalf.
Doktor waved his hand, dismissing Lahki’s concern. “No worries. We met, didn’t we? Feel free to stop by whenever for some tea. It’d do me good to befriend someone with connections to the Lord.” He smiled warmly, stroking his beard.
“Wh-what makes you think I have some sort of connections?” Lahki blurted out.
The corners of Doktor’s mouth nudged upward. “Well, the company that used to be here was involved in that whole controversy. Since the shop permit auction hasn’t even occurred yet, you’re either some sort of government official with permission to be here, or someone with the connections to get your hands on the permit. I figured I’d see if I could wring some information out of you, and sure enough, I got my answer.”
Lahki gave Doktor a weak smile as he tried to explain himself. “No… I mean, it’s not like I have any personal connections. One of my customers actually got involved on my behalf. I’m still a novice.”
Doktor frowned. “You’re the talk of the town right now, what with selling all those grand dragon parts, and using the money to buy a cartload of food. You really stood out, y’know.”
“What?”
“Well, think about it. Not only did you bring invaluable materials to a big name here in new town, you also chose a company to buy from in this area. Of course, that worked in my favor. But I assure you, it didn’t sit well with the scoundrels back in old town. They’re pretty upset with you.”
“B-but why? I mean, I didn’t know anyone in the old town district who would help me! I had to work hard just to get help here, remember?” Lahki was practically shouting in exasperation.
Doktor offered a wide grin in return. “Gwahahaha! That’s just because, after the closures, the miscreants in old town are trembling with fear about the new town’s upcoming success. Having a runt like you come along with an extravagant deal, and completely snub them, only served to irritate them further.” Doktor thumped his hand heavily on Lahki’s shoulder. “Don’t you worry ’bout it. Dead wood all comes crashing down in the end, one way or another. Besides, that customer of yours with the connections you were talking about… I’m sure he didn’t just secure you a permit out of the kindness of his own heart. You’ll be paying that back, I’m sure.”
Doktor turned to leave.
“If you’ve got any other amazing deals like that, send ’em my way. And if you have any questions, kid, be sure to stop by. I’ll only charge you for my time!”
The older man walked out of the shop, whistling.
Lahki slowly unclenched his fists and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
“He’s right,” Lahki said to himself. “What matters most is what comes next.”
He turned around to look at his shop. It might have been an empty shell, but in his mind’s eye, he could already see the roaring success it would become.